Date of Award
Spring 4-2-2018
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
PHD - Doctor of Philosophy
Department
Expressive Therapies
First Advisor
Robyn Cruz
Second Advisor
Michaela Kirby
Third Advisor
Nisha Sajnani
Abstract
This study was conducted to test the validity of a theoretical framework in developmental psychology of body movement analysis, the Kestenberg Movement Profile (KMP). Motor patterns associated with needs and foundations for affect expression, the tension flow rhythms (TFRs), were examined. Recent research examined the validity of the TFRs in nonclinical adults and found preliminary support for some of the KMP’s assumptions associating smooth (indulging) rhythms with indulgent affects and sharp (fighting) movements with assertive or aggressive affects. This study aimed to test the TFRs associated with the first two years of development—the sucking, biting, twisting, and strain/release rhythms. The sucking and biting rhythms are associated with the first year of life and the twisting rhythms are associated with the second year of life. The guiding hypotheses for this study were that adults embodying four different TFRs (two smooth- and two sharp-quality) different affects between each of the four TFRs; and would experience different affects within the two categories, indulging and fighting. Fifty-three adults, ages 18-80 participated in the study. Each person enacted four TFRs and completed a survey after each movement to indicate how they felt after enacting that movement. Six of the participants were interviewed about their experiences. Each participant also completed an electronic test of emotional self-awareness. Statistical analyses showed support for both hypotheses. Participants reported different qualities of indulgent affects when engaging in the indulging TFRs and different qualities of assertive affects when engaging in the fighting TFRs (pp
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Language
English
Number of Pages
123
Recommended Citation
Johnson, Melanie, "Rhythmic Movements and Feeling States" (2018). Expressive Therapies Dissertations. 51.
https://digitalcommons.lesley.edu/expressive_dissertations/51
Included in
Art Therapy Commons, Child Psychology Commons, Counseling Psychology Commons, Dance Movement Therapy Commons, Developmental Psychology Commons, Movement and Mind-Body Therapies Commons, Other Mental and Social Health Commons, Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy Commons, Psychological Phenomena and Processes Commons, Somatic Bodywork and Related Therapeutic Practices Commons
Rights
The author owns the copyright to this work.
